Customer Reviews

Song for My Fathers: A New Orleans Story in Black and White

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sancton has written an outstanding account of his coming of age in 60's New Orleans while learning trad jazz clarinet from George Lewis and other "old mens" at Preservation Hall in the French Quarter. Whether you love New Orleans and trad jazz, or not I think you'll enjoy Sancton's memoir. His story of being an Uptown white boy spending a lot of time with black musicians in the a world apart from where most of his comtemporaries were growing up is nothing if not unique. Sancton's day job after a Harvard degree turned out to be a correspondent for Time Magazine. So, he can definitely turn a good phrase. In addtion to documenting his interactions with the musicians, Sancton also writes about race, culture, and history in New Orleans. He also explores his relationship with members of his family, especially his writer father, who has an interesting story of his own, probably the subject of another book.Just a delightful read.

The irony is that I had known the parents of Tom Sancton since 1972 (his mother, Seta, and I worked for the Tulane University Library from 1972 until 1979 when I became a social service worker); still, I knew nothing of what Tom Sancton writes in this book. Obviously, he learned both from his parents who taught him by example rather than just words, and from the Preservation Hall musicians. I hope he is proud of the fact that he, by his actions, contributed to the breakdown of racial barriers. He certainly has demonstrated that New Orleans can be a community where people can be together regardless of race, color or creed; and the book clearly reflects that.

As a fan of New Orleans and Dixieland jazz, I ordered this book as soon as it became available, and consumed it immediately. Tom Sancton met all my expectations, and also provided me with recent history of my favorite musicians, the Olympia Brass Band. He honestly described people and an era that will never be recaptured, with love, and affection, but without guilding the lily. These were real people, shown by Sancton with all their warts, and I miss them all greatly. On a visit to the Preservation Hall recently, I enjoyed the music provided by all white musicians and one black drummer, but was so aware of the loss of those originals. The drummer's father, one of the Fathers described by Sancton, is now gone, and we cried on each other's shoulders, over the loss of a music that can be preserved, but musicians who can never be duplicated. I am just so appreciative to Tom Sancton for producing this book, especially now that Katrina has erased so many of his memories.

Tom provides an inside view of growing up in New Orleans. With my limited connection to Preservation Hall, he brought the musicians to life. There was a great mix of people and things that were familiar to me and the history and personal stories that weren't. I won't say I couldn't put it down because it was a "bathroom" book with short chapters and easy reading. I particularly enjoyed seeing the city through the formative years of the author's life.

Jealous

Boy, am I jealous of this guy! He lived a dream life as a teenager.

Every musician that reads this will envy this story. Well written and boy am I jealous!

Interesting time in music and history of New Orleans. The author met many interesting characters. I never made it to the end but I enjoyed the first half.